Legal protection insurance is not like car or house insurance, it is not as straightforward as you might think.
Will I be covered for all claims
- There is no guarantee your claim will be covered, it has to be assessed by them first
- Insurer has to be satisfied you have a reasonable chance of winning, else you don’t get cover
- They can drop your case at any time if they feel your chances of winning changes
- The insured person might be the intermediary, not you. This means they decide which lawyer to appoint
Things to watch out for
- Who is insured you or the intermediary/supplier. What happens if the intermediary goes bust
- Is there an up front charge or excess when you make the claim
- Are you covered for everything including damages and other party’s legal costs
- What happens if their advice is wrong and it has cost you
- What happens if you’re not happy with the lawyer, can you switch to your own lawyer
Following the Process
- You must notify the insurer before taking any action
- You need to get their go ahead before you do anything
- You must follow exactly the advice given by them, your cover can be dropped if you don’t